The composition and concentration of n‐alkanes in retail samples of edible oils

Abstract

Abstract Abstract : A range of edible oils were purchased from a variety of retail outlets and analysed for their n ‐alkane (Σ33/15) content. The concentrations ranged from 7 to 166 mg kg −1 , the lowest being walnut oil and the highest sunflower oil. n ‐Alkanes with chain lengths of C 27 , C 29 and C 31 predominated in all of the plant oils except olive oil where C 23 , C 25 and C 27 were the most significant. The results of this pilot survey suggest that the n ‐alkanes are indigenous and that their composition may be useful in characterising a specific plant seed oil. Two of the 42 samples analysed showed markedly different alkane patterns in which profiles similar to petroleum‐based sources dominated the contribution from odd carbon n ‐alkanes typical of seed oils.